Flying Colours the small start-up quickly developed into an aircraft sales business before evolving into a fully-fledged MRO and interiors business in 1989, is celebrating thirty years of successful MRO and interiors operations.
Launched as an aircraft painting business by current President, John Gillespie, the small start-up quickly developed into an aircraft sales business before evolving into a fully-fledged MRO and interiors business in 1989. Since inception, the company has grown from a small hangar, dedicated to painting turbo-props and small jets at Peterborough Airport, to an international company known for its maintenance capabilities, cabin-interior design, completions and refurbishments.
John Gillespie, founder and president of Flying Colours, said: “It’s a well-known fact that the business aviation sector is a competitive and challenging industry to succeed in, and we are extremely proud to be marking our thirtieth anniversary this year. In some ways it feels like we are just getting started as we still have a lot of exciting plans to implement over the next decades.
“It goes without saying we would not have got to where we are without the support of our elite set of customers who value the fact we can deliver even the most complex project, our reliable long-term partners, and most importantly our highly motivated and skilled technical teams. As the years progress this is set to continue to grow.”
Innovation and Flexibility was once the smallest business at the airport but is now the largest, currently expanding its head quarter’s with the addition of a fourth hangar measuring more than 100,000 square feet.
A second base was established in 2009 when Flying Colours purchased JetCorp Technical services in St Louis, which became Flying Colours KSUS in 2013. The facility expanded rapidly and now consists of a 40,000 squared feet state-of-the-art dedicated cabinetry and interiors facility along with a further 60,000 squared feet of hangars, the most recent of which opened its doors for business in January this year.
With the opening of a Singapore interiors division at the Bombardier Seletar Airport facility in 2015, Flying Colours became truly international. A growing Asia Pacific-based team provides a range of services from interior touch-ups to complete refurbishments for Bombardier aircraft based in the region.
Today a global team, which is anticipated to exceed more than 500 employees by year-end, delivers an extensive selection of dedicated business aviation services.
Flying Colours plans to mark its thirtieth year with internal and external events with customers, partners and its growing in-house team to demonstrate its gratitude to those that have worked and supported the business through the years.
Photo by Flying Colours – Head Office in Canada